Tag: Halong Bay

1. Monkey Island, April 2018. I really enjoyed my boat tour with Green Trail! Beginning with a cruise through the peaceful waters of Lan Ha Bay, we eventually reached Halong Bay, Northern Vietnam’s most famous waters. There we were treated to swimming, kayaking and a delicious feast of freshly prepared local food. On the way back […]

1. Halong Bay Cruise, April 2018. After a few gloriously peaceful hours cruising around the beautiful Lan Ha Bay, Green Trail’s day-long boat tour chugged into the much better known Halong Bay. So what’s the difference? Basically nothing! The spectacular limestone peak scenery is the same; just expect more water traffic with an increased number of […]

1. Lan Ha Bay Cruise, April 2018. As beautiful as Cat Ba Island is, for most visitors the main reason to come out here is for a boat cruise through the region’s spectacular Lan Ha & Halong bays. Choose your tour operator VERY CAREFULLY, as the scene is riddled with tricksters and scammers. Some have shoddy boats […]

1. Sweet Potato Homestay, April 2018. If I could only give one piece of advice to someone planning a trip to Cat Ba Island, it would be a categorical “Don’t stay in Cat Ba Town!!!” Check out My 5 on Cat Ba Town for more info. Instead, base yourself at one of the many charming guesthouses out […]

1. The Hospital Cave, April 2018. Whether you’re staying on Cat Ba Island or just nipping in and out on a whistle stop boat tour, do try and make time for this curious Vietnam War site, set deep in the countryside about three kilometers from the entrance gates to Cat Ba National Park.

1. Cat Co Cove 3, April 2018. The trail to Cat Ba Town’s three beaches is just a ten-minute walk from the main drag. Interconnected via a gorgeous walking trail cut into the cliffs, I’d originally intended to visit all three, starting here at the modest sliver of beach known as Cat Co Cove 3. But on […]

1. Cat Ba Town, April 2018. At first glance, Cat Ba Island’s overdeveloped main drag is little more than an uninspiring stretch of toothy low-rises, beat-heavy bars, tout-inhabited tour offices and kebab carts. Easily the least impressive area of the island, I’m amazed that so many visitors choose to base themselves here. Having set myself up […]